The Aberystwith Observer

A DEFICIENCY IN THE EDUCATION ACTS. The Rev. W. Anderson, Rector of Old Romney, Kent, writes to The Times ;—Will you allow me briefly to point out a deficiency in the Education Acts which seriously affscts my neighbourhood at the present tiite ? I live in a large sheep-grazing district —Eomney-marsh—and, of course, a great deal of shear- ing is going on, It is a matter of absolute necessity that shearers should ba attended by a look-boy. He 1, c' picks up the shreds of wool, clears away all mess, opens and shuts the gates of the pound, and is summoned to smear with tar any wound a sheep may sustain while being shorn. A boy about 1'2 or 13 yesjrs of age can do this work. It is the first appreticeship in the art of shearing. But a stop is put to the employrnent of these boys because they have not reached a certain fourth or fifth standard at school. To my certain knowledge they are kept regularly at school at other times of the year, aud have exceeded tha necessary number of attendances: but because thev have not reached a ctnain standard they are forced to school by tha attendance officer, and fchearers are put to a very great, an ail but insuperable, difficulty from want of com- petent lads; for an older lad will not do the work a younger one cannot. The business of the district at the present time is hampered trom want of some dis- cretionary power placed lIJ. the hand of a magistrate or some competent authority, whereby permission could be given to luos who had uuada a reasonable number of attendanCs8 to be absent from school for a specified tmploymei. for a short tune in the year,

THE CHANNEL TUNNEL. Colonel Yolland, Chief Inspector of Railways; Mr. Minton, solicitor; Mr. A. H. Strong, and two non-commissioned officers cf the Royal Engineers, representing the Board cf Trade, inspected the Channel Tunnel, naa. Djvsr, on Saturday, Sir Edward Watkin, Sir Prmcis Reiliy (the Speaker's Counsel), Mi-. Mvies Fenfon, Mr. Sabatier, Mr. Brady, C.E., and Mr. Bell accompanied the representatives d the Board of Trade, By Sir Edward's instruction the works were started, in order to ventilate the shaft and heading and to illumi- nate these by the c-lectric li_;ht. Colonel Yolland pro- Oeeded to the end of tha Tunnel, and from there made an engineering survey of the workings, mapping down the levels and curves. It is understood that the Board of Trade rsportwi'l sho v that the shaft at Shakespeare Cliff is about 170 teefc in depth, and the heading or tunnel nearly 2,000 ya.idj long. The Tunnel runs along shore in the direction of Dcvpy, and curves sea- wards in the direction of the Admiralty Pier, the j working extending boneath tho cea. i

A FIGHTING OCTOPUS. The Detroit Free Press gives the following partiou- lars respecting the Octopus; and also relates an en- counter between some adventurous boys and one of the sea-monsters :— The octopus is, without doubt, the most disagreeable creature to be met with in the ocean. They are found in nearly all waters, from the coast of Maine in and on the borders of the gulf-stream, to the cold waters of the North Pacific Ocean. Imagine a bag of flesh, over which waves of colour are continually sweeping, and/from which eight arms radiate like the arms of a gigantic spider, their under-sides lined with sharp suckers, and between them, where they join the body, two parrot-like bills. On each side of tha lower part of the bag put two fierce green or yellow eyes, give the whole mass a tremulous motion, and you have a general idea of the appearance of the octopus, a second cousin of the giant squid. In size, they range frem a foot across, upward. The largest known was seen by Mr. W. H. Dall, at Sitka, and when spread out it measured twenty-eight feet from the tip of one tentacle, or arm, to that of the opposite. Specimens measuring twelve or fourteen feet across are very common in the Pacific, and are kept for sale in the San Franciso markets, and con- sidered great dainties by the Italians and Chinese. When of this size they are very dangerous, and have been known to thrown their snake-like arms about divers and bathers and drag them out into deeper water. In 1877 an Indian woman, living at Victoria, Van- couver's Island, when in bathing, was seized by a monster octopus and dragged slowly into deep water and drowned. She was missed some time after, and boats were put out in search, and the hapless victim was finally seen in about twenty feet of water, still held in the arms of the terrible creatures. The suckers on the arms are so many air-pumps, so that when they are pressed upon the body, a piston. like arrangement exhausts the air and the suction presses (in many kinds) a sharp, "saw-edged," bony plate, or ring, into the flesh, making hundreds of terrible wounds. In the Bahama Islands these animals are very common and often of great size, and their capture affords considerable sport to the winter visitors at these iles of summer. The largest octopus ever caught here was found upon the beach at Nassau, according to Prof. B. G. Wilder, by Mr. J. S. George. Each arm measured five feet, and the entire monster weighed nearly 300 pounds. Several years ago a party from New York spent the winter at Nassau, and the boys, for there were four or five, had a lively encounter with the octopus. The boat was hauled between two of the heads, and Tom, Harry, and the others were sitting on her gun. wale resting, when they were attracted by a shout from Will, who had waded away over the heads. "Here's a queer-looking something under the coral I" he shouted. Come over 1" The boys shoved off in his direction. It looks like a bundle of snakes," be continued. Well, here goes!" and, aiming his grains at the object, Will let drive. There was a great commotion for a moment. Will clung to his spear, the pole bending and writhing about. I can't see what it is he shouted. Come quick I" The boys pushed hard, but were yet twenty or thirty yards from Will, when he jumped upon a coral head with a scream, and up from the water, clinging to his legs, appeared a slimy, writhing, clinging mass of flesh that horrified the boys. Will had lost his hold upon the spear, but courageously drew his caee-knife, and cut at the monster, that had now crept up to his waist. "It is an oatopua shouted Tom, as the boat rushed into the head of coral, and seizing his spear, overboard he went, and as Harry grasped Will's ex- tended arm, and tried to drag him into or toward the boat, he hurled his spear again and again into the creature, and endeavoured to push it from Will's knee, where he had now settled, under the vigorous blows of the knife. Two of the arms were severed in this way, but the others clung like leeches winding about his legs, doubling and twisting all the while. Will was faint and weak, but the rest encouraged him, and finally be struck a deep blow into the body of the monster and Tom, settling down almost under the water, with a tremendous lift tore the ugly creature from its hold. At the same moment the boys in the boat, who had clung to Will, fairly jerked him into the boat, with some of the arms of the octopus still clinging to him. Tom was not a moment behind, as the creature had escaped from him, and he was likewise hauled aboard. Will was badly cut, his legs, arms and neck were covered with round marks, as if he had been cupped, and some of them bled badly, while other Bharp bites were evidently the marks of parrot-like bills. The water for many feet about them still showed evidences of the struggle, being as black as ink from the sepia the animal bad ejected in its fear or rage. Will was determined to have the body of the octopus. So, after the water had cleared, they commenced the search, and finally the ugly fellaw-or what was left of it-was found under a clump of branch coral. The boat was held over the spot, and three spears were sent into it at once. Even now it struggled hard, and as they lifted it aboard the creature dragged at least fifty pounds of dead coral with it. But once in the boat it was soon finished with a hatchet and packed away in half a barrel, which it nearly filled, and was found to weigh afterward 170 pounds. You wouldn't believe a creature like that would have so much strength," said Will, as they started for home. As soon as I hit it it seemed to run up the spear, and nearly twisted the pole out of my hands, and the water became as black as ink and the first thing I knew I felt something like a red-hot hand clasp my leg, and then another, and then I made a jump for the 'head,' and the animal tried to climb upon me. I don't know whether he was trying to attack me or to escape; but I've learned one lesson— never to 'strike' an octopus unless you are in a boat.'

THE BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS. The Board of Trade Returns for last month are not so satisfactory as those for May, but are, nevertheless, far from being of a discouraging character. The imports amounted to B31,572,323, an increase of 2706,440, or about 2! per cent., and the exports to £ 20,118,250, an increase of £1,313,253, or 7 per cent. The increase in the imports is due chiefly to the arrivals of timber and raw cotton, Ithose of timber amounting to jEl.446,831, B459.015, or 461 per cent., more than in June, 1881. There was also a considerable increase in the land- ings of tea, owing to the early arrival of the new season teas this year. The imports of this article were over half a million sterling, nearly double what they were in June, 1881. In coffee and wheat flour, also, there were substantial increases, while the arrivals of butter amounted to very little under a million sterling, about £ 174,000, or 21J per cent., more than last year. The decreases were in no case very large, the most important being in wheat and Indian corn. The land- ings of the former show a reduction of £175,7E7, or about 61 per cent., and those of the latter a dimi- nution of 2131,2-16, or about 13 per cent. There was a decrease of about 16 per cent. in living animals. Wool, hemp, jute, and hides were all im- ported in smaller quantities, as also were eugar and wine. The increase in the exports is very general, the prin- cipal exceptions being cotton piece-goods, linen and jute yarns, seed oils, and spirits. The decrease in cotton is trifling, being only £ 22,523, which is about per cent. of the total exported in June, 1881, the amount for this year being £ 4,565,453. The diminu- tion in quantity is rather greater, being just under 1 per cent. The shipments af iron and' steel' still continue to show expansion as compared with last year. They amounted to 378,210 tons, valued at £ 2,783,093, against 362,263 tons, valued at £ 2,426,549 shipped in June, 18^1. There is also an iscrease in the exports of machinery and millwork, of hardware, and of coal, as well as in those of cotton yarns and woollen and worsted fabrics. It is worthy of remark that he reductio in the exports of cotton piece-goods is not due to smaller shipments to India. For the first time for several months Bengal has taken a larger amount than in the corresponding period of 1881. The exports to China show a diminution. The Navigation Returns snow increases in fthe tonnage, both of the entries and the clearances in the foreign trade, while there is a small decrease in the entries and a trifling increase in the clearances in the coasting trade.

As the fable about a Cabinet Minister waving his hand from the Treasury bench in invitation to the Irish members seated in the gallery to come and vote in Friday's division seems to be seriously accepted in some quarters, it may be worth while to state that there is not the slightest foundation for it. As a matter of fact, no communication of any kind wa, addressed on the part of the Government to the {<ish members with the object of inducing them to vote in the division on the question of night search. They v.'cre f 1 r ,T waved to" from the Treasury bench nor solich whips.—Tuesday's Daily Neva. 1

EXCITING BULL CHASE AT MILAN. Lately a bull was being driven to market at Milan, tied only by the hind leg, when the shrill ery of a sweep startled him, and breaking the cord he ran away. Every one near fled in horror with loud screams, and the bull, rendered more furious by the noise, attacked a horse attached to a cart, in which were four or five women. With one stroke of hia horns the bull wounded the horse severely in the neck, and with a second ripped up its belly, overturning at the same time the cart and the unfortunate women. Luckily the bull left the latter alone, and continued its furious course towards the railway. Seeing there a crowd of people it stopped for the second time, and a few courageous bystanders tried to catch him by throwing cords round his neck, but came badly off, for with one move- ment the bull threw them all to the ground, break- ing the leg of a young man. He then turned into a street without any opening at the other end, and there was followed by the crowd. Some police- men tried to shoot him with their revolvers, but in the excitement only succeeded in wounding a boy and a young man, who were taken to the hospital. The iufuriated bull now turned on his assailants, com- pletely routing them, and, issuing from the street, finally ran into a tramway station. There a rural guard courageously approached the bull, and with a sharp knife cut the sinews of his hind leg, causing the animal to fall to the ground, and thus ending his mad and dangerouB career.

FBARFUL EXPLOSION OF GAS IN. PARIS. Writing on Wednesday, the Paris correspondent of The Times says :— At an early hour this morning the neighbourhood of the Hotel de Ville was startled by a violent gas explosion, which unhappily resulted in loss of life. The scene of the accident was the Rue Francois Biron. An escape of gas was first noticed in the cellars of a restaurant. While the gas company was being communicated with a slight explosion was heard, and the premises took fire. A crowd collected, the firemen extinguished the flames, and all seemed about to be set right, when it was dis- covered that flames were issuing from the sewers, and that, passing along the tubes, they had reached a cafe on the opposite side of the street. The firemen hurried to the spot, the crowd became thicker, and a quarter of an hour later a violent explosion took place, which wrecked the café, tore up a part of the street, and made severe havoc among the bystanders. About 40 persons were more or less severely injured. Later on, at about noon, two further explosions occurred. The adjoining houses have been evacuated, passengers are forbidden to enter the streets near the scene, and the whole neighbour. hood is in a state of indescribable excitement. According to the latest news, five persons were killed. Twelve of the victims who were carried to the Hotel Dieu are said to be beyond recovery, and are expected to expire from minute to minute. It has been decided that the local Fête of the Arron- diseement on Friday shall not be held, and that the money collected for it shall be distributed among the victims.

LOSS OF A DUTCH WAR VESSEL. The Standard published the following telegram dated the 9th instant, from their correspondent at the Hague:— The Moniter Adder, of the Dutch War Navy, which started on Wednesday from Yminden for Helvoetsluis, has been lost off the coast. The officers and crew of eighty men are, it is feared, all drowned. Several bodies have been washed on shore, together with a number of life belts. It is believed that the vessel went down in a sudden squall, and that those who were on deck tried to save themselves by swimming. Two steamers have been sent in search of the missing vessel, but smi U hopes is entertained of the recovery of any of the crew alive.

Advices from Lloyd's. agent at Amsterdam, dated July 10, state that the Dutch war steamer Adder left Yminden on the morning of the 5th inst. for Helvoet- sluis, with about 80 men on board, in charge of a Dutch pilot, and had not yet arrived. On the 8th instant the dead body of the pilot, having on it a life. buoy marked "Adder," was picked up at sea off Zand- voort, and landed at Yminden. The same day another life-buoy marked "Adder" was landed at Nieuwe Diep, and others bad been washed ashore at Esmond and at Kamperduin. On the 9th inst. the body of a marine was washed ashore North of Yminden. The Dutch tug Simson has also picked up at sea and landed at Yminden the bodies of one sailor and two marines ex Adder. Wreckage from the steamer had also been washed ashore at Nieuwe Diep. Dutch steamers pro- ceeded on the 8th instant to search for her, but re- turned the following day without having seen any- thing. It therefore seemed quite certain that the vessel had been lost.

THE "EIRA" SEARCH AND RELIEF EXPEDITION. Sir Allen Young, on board the steamship Hope, telegraphs from Honningsvaag, about 60 miles east of Hammerfest Just leaving for NovaZembla; have plenty of coals tender in tow will write every opportunity.' The tender mentioned is a walrus hunters' schooner that Sir Allen Young bought and fitted out during the week he was at Hammerfest. He intends leaving this schooner to cruise on the West Coast of Nova Zembla, to pick up any of the Bird's orew that may have retreated across the ice during the time that Sir Allen Young is absent ia the steamship Hope, attempting to force his way to Franz Joseph Land.

AMUSING VARIETIES. THEY COMPROMISED.—A man was once asked how he and his wife got along with so little friction in the family machinery. Well," said he, when we were first married we both wanted our own way. I wanted to sleep on linen sheets, my wife preferred cotton, and we couldn't agree. Finally we talked the matter over, and we came to the conclusion that it was un-Christian to live in constant bickering so we compromised on linen, and have got along all right ever since.' NATURAL HISTORY NOB LITTLB ONES.- This is a mule. He may look amiable, but he isn't. He differs from the condor of the Andes. The condor scares the mule sours. That speck on the sky yonder is the man who attempted to climb the mule's back by catching hold of his tail. When he comes down he will tell you that tha best way to mount a mule is to drop on him from the limb of a tree. DEEPLY ABSOBBED.—Mrs. A.: "We had a beautiful sernion this morning didn't we ? "—Mrs. B. Beauti- ful, and did you notice Mrs. Smithson's bonnet ? Mrs. A. "Notice it? Well, I should say I did. I couldn't keep my mind off it the whole service."—Mrs. B. "Nor I. neither." AN UNBALANCED MIND.—Mrs. Brown is possessed of a mind unbalanced by no bias or prejudice. Mrs. Brown can look on more than one side of a thing. Therefore when her new lamp chimney is broken, she exclaims:—"Oh, dear! that new chimney! And I only bought it yesterday If it is an old chimney that comes to grief, Mrs: Brown cries out:—"That's too bad, I declare I've had that chimney two years, and now it is broken. I never saw such luck as I do have!" AN EFFECTUAL SERMON.-Dean Swift's brief but celebrated charity sermon, delivered in Dublin, on the text, "He who giveth unto the poor lendeth unto the Lord," has been read by every one, for the entire discourse is contained in a single line:—"If you like the security, down with the dust." We have heard of another sermon, preached not long since in behalf of an eleemosynary institution, which concluded in this style:—"Such is the importance and excellence of this institution that no man can possibly be pre- vented from bestowing liberally, according to his ability. Whoever, therefore, shrinks from his duty on this occasion must be inevitably concluded to be in debt It brought the legal tenders. Editor's Drawer" in Harper's Magazine. STOPPING THE PAPER.-Angry newspaper readers may get some instruction from the following story of Horace Greeley :—" One morning he met one of his readers, who very excitedly exclaimed, Mr. Greeley, after the article you published this morning, I in- tend to stop your paper J" "Oh, no," said Mr. Greeley, "don't do that!" Yes, my mind is made up; I shall stop the paper." But the angry subscriber was not to be appeased, and they sepa- rated. Late in the afternoon the two met again, when Greeley remarked, "Mr. Thompson, I am very glad you did not carry out your threat this morning." "What do you mean?" "Why, you said you were going to stop my paper." "And 80 I did; I went to the office and had it stopped." You are surely mistaken. I have just come from there, and the press was running and busi- ness was booming- "Sir," said Thompson, very pompously, "I mean I intended to stop rny subscrip- tion to'your paper." "Oh, thunder!" ejaculated Greeley, "I thought you were going to stop the run- ning of the paper, and knock me out of a living. My friend, let me tell you something: One man is just a drop of water in the ccean. You didn't set the ma- chinery of this world in motion, and you can't stop it, and when you are underneath the ground, things upon the ground will wag on just the eaine a3 ever,"

THE LATE GENERAL SKOBELEFF. General Skobeleff died at Moscow of heart disease on Friday in last week. He was-born in 1843, and was consequently only 39 years of age.-The Times, in an Obituary notice from their St. Petersburg Corres- pondent says:— It is with feelings of emotion for the loss of a per- sonal friend as well as of interest in the untimely fate of a Russian celebrity that I forward to you the sad news of the death of General Michael Dimi- trich Skobeleff, which took place very suddenly at about one this morning, in the Hotel d'Usaux, at Moscow. According to a private telegram the White General,' the hero of Plevna, has fallen a victim to an affection of the heart, brought on, it is thought, by a contusion received on the green hills before Plevna in the late war. His end seems to have been without any warning whatever, for only a week or two ago he was heard of as making a forced ride of 70 or 80 versts in little more than a single night to meet lh Cossacks mancsuvring in the south, and only yeste; day Colonel Gredekoff, the author of the Ride to Herat,' received a letter from him, dated Moscow, the day before, full of his usual animation and good humour. Without any exaggeration, it may be said that this loss of the national hero will be felt tlvoughout the Russian Empire. The national party, to which the general seemed to have finally attached himself after the celebrated incidents of patriotic oratory at Paris and Moscow, has thereby received, a terrible blow and the Army can show no other man with such wonderful power and influence over his troops as were possessed by Skobeleff. His heroic tourage was equalled, when necessary, by a remark- able warmth of heart, and he had an almost manic power of identifying himself on occasions with the most humble of his men. At times he seemed to display almost feminine outbursts of feeling, as your Correspondent well recolleets, for instance, when he accompanied the general behind the bier of the late Mr. M'Cahan, at onstantinople, in the spring of 1873. General Skobeleff was born on the 29th of September, 1843, and was, therefore, thirty-nine years of age. After the death of his father two years ago, and the cruel murder of his mother in Bulgaria, the general was the only surviving member of the family bearing the name, and now there remain but his two sisters, Duches3 Eugene Leuchtenberg and Countess Bielo- zaLky. The latest accounts state that the deceased general was staying at Moscow on his way from his command at Minsk to his estate, a few miles the other side of the old capital. He spent most of yesterday s in the Exhibition, and returned to his hotel in the evening in excellent spirits."

Writing from St. Petersburg on Sunday night the correspondent of the Daily News says :— The sudden and premature death of the young Russian General, the White General,' as he was named by his soldiers, has cast a deep gloom over this city, and the slid event forms the chief subject of discussion. All the leading organs of the Russian press, irrespective of party, bewail the great loss the country has sustained in the death of a man who, during a short term of service, had attained to such high rank, and by his abilities and generous qualities enjoyed such unbounded popu- larity both among military men and civilians. The Moscow Gazette, commenting on the event, says :—"In General Scobeleff Russia has lost. not only a great military commander, but a sincere and honest patriot, and enlightened, farseeing politician, who understood and closely cherished Russia's mission in the East." The leading Slavophil organ, the Russ, says:—"Our national hope, our glory, has parsed away in the flower of youth at the nromert when he seemed to be on the threshold of still more glorious exploits as the future champion of Russia against the foreigners who meditata her ruin. His name was a legion in itself. The whole of Russia and the Selav world is plunged in bitter mourning, and the enemies of the Sclav people will exult at our loss." The post-mortem examination was held to-day, and the cause of death was found to be paralysis of the heart and atrophy of the left lung. He had suffered from shortness of breath, but on the day of his death seemed in good spirits, and went out as usual.

Moscow, July 10. The requiem mass for Genera Scobeleff, which was celebrated in Three Saints' Church this morning, was attended by the Grand Dukes Nicholas and Alexis, the Duke of Lenchtenberg, the Minister of War, the Governor General of Moscow, a number, of Generals, deputations from many regiments, re- presentatives of the Municipal and Provincial Cor- porations, and a large number of private people. On the conclusion of the mass, at one o'clock, the coffin containing the remains, which was covered with flowers, wreaths, and military emblems, and had been placed on a gilt bier decorated with the collars of the late General's orders, was carried out by the Grand Dukes and Generals, accompanied by the immense congregation assembled. It was taken the Riazhn Railway station, the route of the cortige being lined on both sides with soldiers. At half-past three o'olock the remains were conveyed by special train to Spasskajs.

COUNTRY RESIDENCES FOR OUR CITY POOR. There is no agency more widely applicable in the treatment of diseases among the poor than change of air or country residences (says the Lancet). Often the physician feels tha immense advantage to the canvalescent which, in all likelihood, would follow a month's sojourn at the seaside, or in some quiet corner where pure air could be inhaled and good milk freekly drunk. It appears akin to sarcasm, however, to advise the father or mother who earns but a few shillings a week to leave their charge and go health-seeking, while the others may starve and at present it is only the few fortunate recipients of the charitable card who can obtain that relaxation so much needed. Now that the population of the towns is so aggre- gated and the rural districts so thinly occupied, difficulty is found in obtaining labourers for the in- gathering of the crops aud this has been specially felt during the past few years, when the harvests have been protracted by unsuitable weather. High wages were vainly offered, and severe losses were occasioned through the scarcity of labour. Without doubt many thousands of our city population could find employment of a remunerative kind, cheap lodgings, and wholesome food during the approaching harvest, and a month's labour of this kind would give a return in the shape of robust health, enough to carry their fragile bodies through the hardships of the winter. When mills are running abort time, and complaints of dull trade are heard on every side, advantages may, without indiiect loss, be taken of this means of obtaining the beat results of country residences now open only to the rich. Employers might allow relays of their work. men to enjoy these advantages for suitable periods of time, and farmers would be much relieved by such a supply of labour, perhaps at wages less than regular farm labourers can claim.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN SCOT- LAND. A thunderstorm of exceptional severity swept over the north-east of Scotland on Wednesday. For over an hour the thunder peals were incessant and ex- tremely loud, and the lightning was remarkably vivid. The storm was heaviest in Forfarshire. For two hours the rain fell in torrents. In the country great tracts of land were under water, and in Dundee many houses were flooded. Much damage has been done to the crops, and should there be no cessation in the rainfall which has pre- vailed during the last fortnight the farming outlook will be serious,

liftswllitimras .fntciltgcnxe, HOME, FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL. EASTERN ANTIQUITIES. — The Athenaeum says :— Herr Carl Humann, who was engaged on the excava- tions at Pergamos last year, has arrived at Smyrna. He is commissioned by the German Government, and is on his way to the interior to Angora (Ancyra), where he will take a cast of the well-known inscrip- tion vulgarly called the Will of Augustus. Thence he will make an expedition to Bazar Keue (Pterium), Euyuk, and the AlajahDagh, to take casts of the Khita sculptures and inscriptions and for general explora- tion. Four months will be devoted to the explora- tion." PROGRESS OF MORMAIUSM,-The Courrier des Etats TJnis fays that it is a very great error to imagine that the Mormon faith is not making any progress, for the number of proselytes has at no time been greater than within the last few months. Most of these recruits come from great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, and Nor- way. Out of the 143,000 inhabitants of Utah, 112,000 are Mormons, and there are 6,000 more in Colo- rado, and 1,900 in Arizona. There are also colonies of "the saints' in New Mexico, Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming, as well as in Georgia, Tennessee, and other Southern States, where ten missionaries are preaching the gospel of Mormonism. There were 1,459 arrivals of proselytes at Salt Lake City last year, these consist. ing of 812 English, 506 Scandinavians, 90 Swiss, 30 Germans, five Dutch, two Irish, and one French. It estimated that English subjects and their families form a third of the total population of Utab, TWEED SALMON FISHINGS.— AB regards salmon and trout, these fishings during last week were about the same as in the previous week. Grilse show a slight improvement, but are mueh below what they were at this time last year. Pricea on Saturday were— Salmon, Is. Id. gritse, lo. and trout, lid. per pound. For the corresponding day last year the prices were-salmon, 1a. 4d.; grilse Is. and trout, lid. per pound. POSTAL STATISTICS.-It is officially announced that during last year ten new States entered into the Postal Union, while for the present year up to this date there have been two fresh adhesions. It appears that more than 13,000,000 letters and postcards are posted daily in the world. 3,418,000,000 letters are annually distributed in Europe, 1,246,000,000 in America, 76,000,000 in Asia, 36,000,000 in Australia, and 11,000,000 in Africa. DISPENSING WITH THE SINGING.—In good old times, when hymn-books were scarce, it was the custom in many of the dissenting churches for the clerk to read out a line or couplet of a hymn, so that those who were without books might unite in the singing. There is a story ti Id of the minister of a Methodist chapel in Georgia, who, having left his spectacles at home on one occasion, intended to announce to his congregation that the singing would be dispensed with. He arose and said, My eyes are dim, I cannot see and immediately the choristers commenced singing the words of the Old Hundredth." Surprise and mortifi- cation made him almost breathless; but he made an effort to stammer out, I mean but an apology." This line was taken up by the congregation in the same manner, when the dominie becoming much excited, exclaimed, Forbear, I pray; my eyes are dim." But remonstrance was vain the singers went on, till, in accents of despair, he again cried out, "J do not mean to read a hymn"- a declaration so palpable that it silenced the vocifer- ous singers.—"Editor's Drawer" in Harper's Magazine. A QUESTION FOR BICYCLISTS.—The Court Journal says that there is some discussion just now whether it is proper to say one "rides "or "drives' a bicycle. Some maintain that as the passenger sits astride he rides as truly as if he were on horseback while the other party urge that sitting over the wheels and pro- pelling his own vehicle, he really drives. The latter word is getting something the more generally used; but the former is not easily forgotten. SUGGESTION FOR A NEW COUNTRY DANCE.-The "Calico Ball" has gone out. Why not try a Ball of Worsted; and start the first appropriately in Worsted- shire ?—Puneh. INCREASE OF THE IRISH CONSTABULARY. — The strength of the Royal Irish Constabulary, which has already been raised from 12,000 to 14,000, will be still further increased and to facilitate this object the standard of height will be reduced from 5ft. 8in, to 5ft. 7in. The Phoenix-park Depot being already fully occupied by 600 men, the Government have decided to erect huts near the Hibernian Military School in the park, as cantonments for constabulary recruits. SHIPBUILDING IN THE ITALF-YEAB.— Engineer says —Thera appears to have been good ground for the belief that has been entertained that during the present year the number and tonnage of the vessels built will be the largest 4hat have been known. On the Clyde in the six months now ended the tonnage of vessels launched is larger than in any previous cor- responding six months, 168,674 tons having been reached this year, a large increase on the very high figures for the past year for the same period. Sin-ilar statistics have not yet been compiled for the Tyne; but on that-river, on the Wear, and at West Hartlepool, and on the Tees, it is expected that the tonnage launched has also been in excess of that of any previous corresponding half- year and at some others of the centres of the shipbuilding industry it is anticipated that there will also have been ah enlarged output. At most of these places it is acknowledged that there is a slackness in the demand for new vessels at the present time, but it is felt that the orders that are already placed are sufficient to give briskness for the present year. This being the case it may be readily believed that unless there should arise some unexpected diffi- culty, the total tonnage built for the present year will exceed that of any of its predecessors. The details of the average tonnage of the vessels launched are not as yet procurable, but the inclusion of some of very heavy tonnage gives some ground for the belief that the in- crease that has for the last few years been known in the average is being still oontinued. COMMEMORATIVE TABLET AT FLORENCE.—A com- memorative tablet has been placed on the house in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, in Florence, where General Garibaldi announced his departure for the Roman campaign. The inscription runs as follows From this house, Giuseppe Garibaldi, faithful soldier of Italy and unity, on the 22nd October, 1867, pronounced the memorable words, 'Rome or death,' as a prelude to the expedition of Montana, which restored to Italy, her capital, and to humanity free discussion, this tablet, for everlasting memory, is placed, by the Tusc&u Gaxibaldians, to-dav, 2 July, 1882." EVICTIONS IN IRELAND.-A Parliamentary return gives the number of evictions which have taken place throughout Ireland during the month ending the 30th of June last. From this it appears that during that period 515 families, representing 2,669 persons, were evioted; 40 families, representing 161 persons, being readmitted as tenants, and 232 families, representing 1,238 persons, being readmitted as caretakers. Of the total number evicted, 126 families, representing 648 persons, belonged to Ulster; 127 families, represent- ing 536 persons, to Leinster; 128 families, representing 733 persons, to Connaught; and 134 families, repre- senting 752 persons, to Munater. IRISH EMIGRATION.—In the Registrar-General's Return just issued in Dublin, for the first three months of the year, it is stated that the emigration in that time was 14,339, being 3,231 more than in the corresponding months of 1881; and the same official estimates on July 1 the population of Ireland had fallen to 5,088,079, thia being about the total at the beginning of the century. SUBURBAN LIBRARIES IN FRANCE.—In additiun to the public libraries which have been formed in Paria, there are now nearly fifty in the villages of the De- partment of the Seine which receive grants from the Council-General. Of these 34 are communal" libraries, that is to say, ate paid for out of the public funds, while the others are free libraries, that is to say, founded and kept up by private subscription. But as the communal and free libraries are alike open free for the benefit of the inhabitants at large, the Council- General grants an annual subsidy óf £20 to each library. During the first three months of this year the communal libraries lent 12,695 books and the free libraries 13,725 this total being more than for the whole of last year. Most of these libraries are only circulating, but a few of them are provided with reading rooms, which are open in the evening. THE BISHOP OF CLIFTON.—There was a large gathering of Roman Catholics at Prior-Park, near Bath, last week, on the occasion of the opening of a collegiate church. The building is pronounced to be the most perfect model of a Roman Basilica existing in England. The opening ceremony was conducted by the Hon. and Right Rev. W. H. Clifford, D.D., Bishop of Clifton. At the termination of tho service a luncheon took place in the college, and the Bishop of Clifton, who presided, was presented with a cheque for £900, in commemoration of his Lordship's silver jubilee as bishop of the diocese. Lord Arundel of Wardour was one of the speakers. INTERESTING DISCOVERY AT POMPEII. — Among several interesting pointings lately uncovered during the excavations in a garden of Region VIII. at Pompeii there was one the subject of which seems identical with the Judgment of Solomon. In this mural painting the figures are all pigmies. In the centre is a bench with three judges; kneeling at their feet, in an attitude of prayer, is a woman; further towards the foreground is a butcher's table, and upon it a naked babe, which a man is preparing to kill with a large knife, while beside him stands a second woman with an indifferent air. Soldiers and people close the scene. A MARVELLOUS AFFAIR !—The Court Journal says —"The parasol is now a very marvellous affair, as eccentricity goes wild in its endeavours to make it all that it is not. 'The result is frequently a picture that might suit the Royal Academy, an ornament of gold or silver and precious stones, that would be a show in the shop window of a first vclasa jeweller, and a weapon which, displayed before a magistrate, would get the possessor fourteen days. By her parasol you shall know her." THE FICKLE ONE.—Fortune is said to knock at every man's door. Unfortunately, it is not so. She leaves many without "a rap ."—Funny Folks. SALE OF SHORTHORNS.—On Friday in last week, Mr. John Thornton sold by auction at Berkeley- castle Home Farm, the surplus stock of pure-bred shorthorn cattle of Lord Fitzhardinge and Colonel Kingscote's herd. The importance of the sale at- tracted well-known breeders from all parts of the country, as well as representatives of the owners of celebrated herds in the United States and Canada. Among those present were Lord Bective, Sir Hussey Vivian, Mr. Beck, who secured some of the lots for the Prince of Wales's herd at Sandringham, Mr. Thompson representing the Duke of Beaufort, and Mr. Drury, agent for the Duke of Devonshire. The celebrated bull Duke of Connaught, for which Lord Fitzhardinge paid 4,500 guineas at the Dunmore sale in 1875, was among the lots offered, but was bought in at 2,000 guineas. The total result of the sale was 2,751 guineas. BOATING FATALITY.—At Plymouth, last Saturday, four men of the Royal Artillery and the Marines hired a boat at Stonehouse, and went for a sail, accom- panied by a waterman named Harris, of Devonport. In Plymouth Sound, in s- rather heavy sea, the boat was thrown on her aide, aad the boatman, Sergeant Aplin, Royal Marines, Stonehouse, and Corporal Ezekiel, of Woolwich, fell into the water and were drowned. The remaining two clang to the boat till rescued. RAILWAY PASSENGERS AND FARES.—A Parlia. mentary return has been issued showing the number of railway passengers and fares in Great Britain in 1873 and 1880, distinguishing between first and Beyond class and third class. In 1873 the first and second class numbered 103,033,078, and the amount of fares £ 8,647,151 in 1880 they numbered 98,483,636, and the fares £ 8.213,889. The third class in 1873 num- bered 336,239.931, and in 1880, 488,622,960. The fares were £11,238,283 and £14,383,271 respectively. The amount of passenger duty in 1873 on first and second class was £432,358. and on third class £74,097. In 1880 on first and second class it was jB410,694, and on third £ 339,023. COST OF THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.—In reply to in- quiries, we have been favoured by Messrs. Samuel Brothers, of La gate-hill, with some details respect- ing the electric light as employed upon their estab- lishment. The dynamo machine is worked by an Ottr gas engine of 12-horse power, which is, however, far in excess of what is required for the existing lights, and will be amply sufficient for a number of incandescent lamps which are about to be fitted up in the counting-house, private office, and fitting- rooms. The engine and lamps require no skilled superintendence, and are attended to by the head porter. There are altogether 20 Jablochkoff arc lights, five of which are in the front, and the re- mainder are employed to light up 4,000 square feet of space inside. Each lamp has an illuminating power of 378 candles, equal to 35 ordinary gas burners, as verified by the scientific staff of the Metropolitan Board of Works. The Jablochkoff "candles" cost for each lamp one penny per hour, and the gas con- sumed by the Otto engine costs also one penny per lamp per hour. The total expense per annum is S150, the lighting of the premises averaging three hours each night.— Warehousemen and Drapers' Trade Journal. REVISION OF THE AUTHORIZED VERSION. — The company appointed for the revision of the Authorized Version of the Old Testament finished their 76th session at the Chamber Library, Westminster, on Friday afternoon in last week. The following mem- bers were present :-1he Dean of Peterborough.SMr. Bensly, Dr, Chance, Mr. Cheyne, Principal Douglas, Mr. Driver, Mr. Geden, Dr. Ginsburg, Dr. Gotch, Archdeacon Harrison, Dr. Kay, Professor Leathes, Mr. Sayce, Br. Robertson Smith, and Mr. Aldis Wright (secretary). Communications were received from the Bishop of Llandaff, who was unable to at- tend. The second revision of the Minor Prophets was continued as far as the end of Habakkuk II. How BIRDS LEARN TO SING.-A wren built her nest in a box on a New Jersey farm. The occupants of the farm house saw the mother teach her young to sing. She sat in front of them and sang her whole song very distinctly. One or the young attempted to imitate her. After proceeding through a few notes its voice broke and it lost the tune. The mother im- mediately recommenced where the young one had failed, and went very distinctly through with the re- mainder. The young bird made a second attempt, commencing where it bad ceased before, and con- tinuing the song as long as it was able and when the note was again lost the mother began anew where it had stopped, and completed it. Then the young one resumed the tune, and finished it. This done, the mother sang over the whole series of notes a second e time with great precision, nnd a second of the young attempted to follow her. The wren pursued the same course with this one as with the first; and so with the third and fourth. This was repeated day after day and several times a day, until each of the birds became a perfect songster. AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.—Tha follow ing are the average prices of British corn for the week ending July 8, as received? from the inspectors and officers of Excise :—Wheat, 47s. 7d. barley, 27a. 4d.; oats, 24s. per imperial qr. Corresponding week last year:—Wheat, 46s. 88.; barley, 27s. 9d.; oats, 23s. 5d. SUDDEN DEATH OF A CLERGYMAN. — The Rev. Robert Boswell Jukes, curate of St. Michael's Corn- hill, London, died suddenly on Sunday evening at that church. The deceased expired a few minutes after preaching the sermon, and it is believed thatdeath was due to failure of the heart's action. A MONSTER PETITION.—A deputation from the British Women's Temperance Association waited on Friday in last week upon Mr. Stephenson, M.P., at the House of Commons, and handed him a petition for- presentation to Parliament supporting the hon. member's bill for closing public-houses on Sundays. Mrs. Lucas, who had charge of the petition, intimated that it contained 159,000 signatures, all of which were those of English women only, there being no Irish, Scotch, Welsh, or even Cornish signatures to the document. The last signature was that of the Countess of Aberdeen. The petition, which is about one mile long, formed a huge roll. and had to be carried by two stalwart policemen. It was presented on Tuesday. A GOOÐ JUDGE, Too.-An editor must be a good judge—by experience, at any rate-seeing the number of sentences" he has to pass."—Funny Folks. THOUGHT READING.—The Morning Post says that at tho invitation of Sir Benjamin and Mrs. Sarah Phillips, Mr. Stuart Cumberland gave a ptivate illus- tration of his powers as a thought reader, at 46, Portman-square, London, on Saturday night. Among the most striking of his demonstrations were the ex- traordinary feats of reading blindfolded the number of a bank-note provided by the Lord Mayor, and the date of a coin held by Baron de Worms. Other singu- larly successful experiments in divining the thoughts 01 others WHe performed with the Right Hon. A. J. Beresford-Hope, M.P., Sir William Fraser, M.P., and Mr. Howard Vincent. A STRANGE DEATH.—In London, on Saturday, Dr. Diplock held an inquest at the Harrington Hotel, South Kensington, on the body of a widow lady named Moake, who was found dead in her room at the above hotel on the previous Thursday. Dr. C. H. Clarke said the cause of death Was syncope. The coroner thought publicity might lead to the lady's relatives coming forward. Tiie coroner's officer said that Mrs. Moake was of short stature, and she apoeared to belong to the Solvation Army, as there were some papers with the inscriptions, "Salvation Army and "Prepare to meet thy God," in her possession. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, and the coroner directed his officer to arrange for the funeral if no relatives came forward to claim deceased and her documents. THE QUEEN'S Busy LIFE.—Her Majesty's often re- ceives as many as forty telegrams a day, all of which she sees and takes note of (tlays the Court Journal)' Apparently she is determined that the Sovereign's duties shall not be of a nominal character, or her sign manual attached to documants in matter-of-form way without consideration of their contents. The Queen, who ordinarily leads a very busy life, ia busier than ever, and when she returns from her long drives ufeu&Ily site up reading despatches and writing till one in the morning, resuming again at eight a.m. her routine of day's duties. A BERKSHIRE NEWSPAPER 160 YEARS AGO.—The Bodleian Library at Oxford contains among its literary curiosities a copy of the first number of the Beading Mercury (dated July 8, 1723), a fac-simile of which is this week published :'<8 a supplement by the pro- prietors of the Mcrcury, It is a curious specimen of a newspaper of the olden time, consisting of twelve small quarto pages, and is full of quaint and interesting information. Ita issue is intended to mark the open- ing of tha Royal Agricultural Society's Show at Reading, and also to commemorate the Reading Mercury and Berks County Paper entering on its 160tb year. ICEBERGS IN THE ATLANTIC.—When we come to consider the exceptional character so -forcibly pre* Benfced this year, not only in the enormous quantity^ of ice, but also in the size of the bbr¡.:s which are floating down from the Arctic regions, we are bound to admit that we are at a loss to account for such exceptional conditions, and we must be content to continue in ignorance while our knowledge of the regions from which these floating masses are liberated remains so limited and of such a fragmentary character. It seems fairly safe to reason both from the vast masses liberated, and from the vtry'early pariod this year which ice was met with by vessels traversing the North Atlantic, that the mild weather which was so marked a feature in the meteorological conditions of the Islands during the winter which has just passed, roust have extended to a much higher latitude than our own.-Nauttcal Magazine, THE MUNGOOSE AS A RAT KILLER.-The introduO tion of the mungoose into Jamaica as a cure for tb8 once formidable rat pest on the sugar plantations said to have proved a notable success. The Bugs" rat. is a huge white-bellied fellow, measuring 10 inches in length of body, his long tail addtfg 10 inches more to h's length. Formerly *ra damage done to the sugar plantations of Sr island by these rats amounted to somethltl; like half a million dols. a year, rising to quarter of the crop in seasons of special About five years ago the mungoose, whose zeal »3 snake and rai killer is well known, was imported India.^ As a result the plague of rats has been great'? diminished, with a saving in sugar of not less tons of sugar on each estate. There is also saved expen«e of ratta^e, formerly amounting to hundre of dollars a year,